1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to exercise equipment and particularly concerns benches for aerobic step exercising.
2. State of the Art
Low benches or step benches for use in performing repetitive stepping up and down exercises are known. Such bench devices are used in some exercise classes and are also available for use at home. The difficulty of the exercise and the degree of conditioning attained varies with, among other things, the height of the step, the frequency of exercise (e.g., number of times exercises are performed per week), the time or duration of the exercise and the rate or repetitions (i.e., steps per unit of time). Desirably, a bench for step exercises should be adjustable in step height. Adjustability allows a user to vary the difficulty of the exercise either during a particular session, or over a series of sessions. The height adjustment mechanism should be reliable and easy to operate. Also desirably, the bench should be lightweight and portable so that it is easily carried from home to class, or moved back and forth during a group class from a storage location to a central floor area, as needed, or easily transported and stored within the home. A step bench should, nevertheless, be of sturdy and durable construction, to withstand the repetitive stepping and weight of a human exerciser.
Numerous exercise step benches have been made, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,275,579, 5,118,096, 5,116,044, 5,096,186, and 5,066,001 all to Wilkinson et al., 5,037,084 (Flor), 5,154,678 (Adamczyk), 5,176,596 (Ullman), 5,213,554 (Goldstein et al.), and 5,050,861 (Thomas et al.). Some of the described step benches require disassembly of the support members from the bench to adjust the height. Such an arrangement involves the risk of improper assembly or reassembly and the risk of loss of parts. Some step benches do not provide a sufficient range of height adjustment. Others do not provide as much stability as is desirable to the horizontal motion exerted as a user steps up and down repetitively. In still others, the height adjustment mechanism is not strong enough to withstand the hard use associated with aerobic step exercising.
From another perspective, step exercises are often performed in conjunction with floor-based exercises, including stretching exercises, sit-ups or leg raises, etc. Most individuals prefer to perform such floor exercises on a cushioning mat for comfort. However, it is cumbersome to transport both a mat and a step bench to class or to and from a storage area. Thus, it is desirable to have a combination bench and mat apparatus. The drawback of this device is that the stacked mat segments are relatively soft and compressible, making the stepping exercise more difficult and unpleasant for the user and hindering the pace of the stepping.
Accordingly, a need remains for an improved adjustable-height platform for repetitive stairstep exercising. Such a step bench should provide a firm surface for stepping upon and be sturdy, durable and easily portable. Further, a need remains for such a step bench having an integrally-associated exercise mat for floor exercises.